Watch the Official Video for “Torches” Now!

Daughtry’s It’s Not Over…The Hits So Far featuring the new song “Torches” is available now! GET IT NOW! Apple Music I iTunes I Amazon I Google Play Spotify I Best Buy I FYE I Target I Walmart Also, in case you missed it, watch the lyric video for “Torches” right here.

Watch the lyric video for Daughtry’s new song “Torches” right here and stream the song on Spotify. Also, get an instant download of “Torches” when you pre-order It’s Not Over…The Hits So Far out 2/12. Additionally the group will be releasing a deluxe physical version exclusively at Wal-Mart. You’ll receive the full It’s Not Over…The […]

“Torches” Lyric Video + Album Pre-Order

Watch the lyric video for Daughtry’s new song “Torches” right here and stream the song on Spotify.

Also, get an instant download of “Torches” when you pre-order It’s Not Over…The Hits So Far out 2/12. Additionally the group will be releasing a deluxe physical version exclusively at Wal-Mart. You’ll receive the full It’s Not Over…The Hits So Far plus a bonus disc featuring all new acoustic recordings of the greatest hits when you pre-order.

Daughtry are set to release their first greatest hits record entitled “It’s Not Over…The Hits So Far” on February 12th, 2016. The 13 track album will be available for pre-order on January 29th along with the brand new single, “Torches.”

Daughtry to Release Greatest Hits Album

Daughtry are set to release their first greatest hits record entitled “It’s Not Over…The Hits So Far” on February 12th, 2016. The 13 track album will be available for pre-order on January 29th along with the brand new single, “Torches.”

Watch Chris At The Star Wars Celebration

Hey everyone! We have some good news. Chris will play the role of Keith Rhodes, a drug-addicted pop star on Studio City & will be writing some of the original music featured in the show. Chris joins a Studio City cast that also includes Heather Graham, Jeanine Mason, Riley Smith, Samantha Logan, Jordan Calloway and […]

Chris Joins City Studio Show

Hey everyone! We have some good news. Chris will play the role of Keith Rhodes, a drug-addicted pop star on Studio City & will be writing some of the original music featured in the show. Chris joins a Studio City cast that also includes Heather Graham, Jeanine Mason, Riley Smith, Samantha Logan, Jordan Calloway and Timothy Granaderos. Click here to get more info on EW.com

In the course of only five years, Chris Daughtry has had more than his share of career highlights. The singer, songwriter, and musician from North Carolina has released back-to-back No. 1 albums, the 4x-platinumDAUGHTRY (which became the fastest-selling rock debut in Soundscan history) and 2009’s platinum Leave This Town. DAUGHTRY has scored four No. 1 Top 40 hits (“It’s Not Over, “Home,” “Feels Like Tonight,” and “No Surprise”), earned four Grammy Award nominations (including “Best Rock Album” for DAUGHTRY), won four American Music Awards, and brought its electrifying live show to all corners of the world, including sold-out arenas in South Africa, Singapore, and The Philippines.

So when it came time to record their third album, Break the Spell, it would have been understandable if Chris and the band — which includes guitarists Josh Steely and Brian Craddock, bassist Josh Paul, and drummer Robin Diaz — decided to stick to what they knew worked. Thing is, that’s not how they work. “I didn’t want to make the same record,” Chris says of how he felt before the band hit the studio in March 2011 with long-time producer Howard Benson. “Howard called me and said he had some ideas for what we needed to do to differentiate this album. He said, ‘I really think we need to push ourselves.’ He was blown away by the songs we had sent over, which is very hard to do with that guy, so everything was really positive out of the gate.”

The result is Break the Spell — a gleaming showcase for Chris’s powerful, emotionally resonant voice and knack for relentless melodic hooks and big, anthemic choruses. The album enables the band to evolve musically while aiming to satisfy its many long-time fans. “Going in to the writing sessions, we said, ‘Let’s not try to sound like anything. Let’s just write, and see what happens,’” says Chris, who co-wrote every song with either one of his band-mates or such collaborators as Marti Frederiksen, Busbee, and Brett James. “We came up with some pretty interesting tunes that sound nothing like anything we’ve done before. Even though some of them didn’t make the album, the process stretched us and took us to new places. It was the first time I’ve said, ‘It doesn’t sound like us, but I can see us doing that.’”

You can hear their risk-taking on such primal, slithering rockers as hard-driving first single “Crawing Back To You,” “Outta My Head,” and “Renegade,” which Entertainment Weekly praised for its “wind-in-your-eyes hook and leather-glove-to-the-sky chorus” calling it “the ideal soundtrack for hitting the highway.” The songs reflect the confident swagger of some of Chris’ favorite bands. “I was listening to a lot of old Aerosmith and Def Leppard and I wanted to make a rock record that that was really upbeat and hard-hitting,” Chris says. “There were a couple of tracks on Leave This Town that were heavy, but as a whole, the album was very polished.Break the Spell is more fist-pumping, if you will. I wouldn’t say the songs are stripped-down, but they have a bit more room to breathe.”

That extra space has the effect of allowing the words to shine more brightly, which became important to Chris when he realized that some of the songs had gone deeper lyrically than anything he had written to date. The birth of his twins in November 2010 “definitely sparked something in me,” he says, and led to such moving ballads as “Gone Too Soon.” At one point during the writing session, Chris had to walk out to collect himself. “The song is about realizing that today could have been the day that someone would be blowing out the candles,” Chris says. “It just hit me pretty hard. I remember playing the demo for my brother and I turned around and he was bawling. I didn’t realize that my brother’s wife had suffered a miscarriage years before. It was a pretty emotional moment.”

“Gone Too Soon” may be the album’s most intense moment, but Break the Spell is not a brooding affair, nor is it preoccupied with people going their separate ways — further evidence that Chris has ventured out of his comfort zone. “That ship has sailed,” he says. “I wanted to do something that was a little more charming in the lyrical take, so I started reflecting on when I met my wife as opposed to dwelling on the hard times. I was trying to tap into all of the spontaneous things you do when everything’s new and perfect and you’re trying to impress someone. I’d never really written about that. Even ‘Crawling Back To You’ is a different take on the ‘Sorry, I screwed-up story’ in that it’s about how I’m doing exactly what you said I’d do, I’m crawling back.”

Overall, Chris feels that Break The Spell, which is being released five years from the day that DAUGHTRY’S debut was released, is the most uplifting and hopeful album the band has recorded. “It’s not so dark,” he says. “I’m not only singing about the bad days. And with many of the songs being up-tempo, it’s going to really fun to play live.”

Live, of course, is where DAUGHTRY really shines. This band has always made its bones on stage and the coming year will be no exception as they hit the road to support Break the Spell. “Bon Jovi, U2, and Aerosmith are certainly big influences on us musically and just seeing how they can still go out and play for the masses after all these years is really inspiring,” Chris says. “Let’s be honest, we didn’t set out to do this to play clubs. No rock band ever sets out saying they want to play clubs for the rest of their career. If they do, they’re full of it. I want to play arenas. I would love to play stadiums. This album is a step in the right direction.”

When the time arrived to make his fourth full-length studio album, Baptized, Chris Daughtry followed his instincts.

“I needed a change,” he admits. “I started hearing these new sounds over my voice, and it was so inspiring. There wasn’t just one style either. It was a completely different vibe all around. I really wanted to pursue that to the fullest. This is probably one of the most inspiring records I’ve ever done.”

In early 2013, Chris began working on what would eventually become Baptized. Early on, he made a conscious decision to approach the album from a different angle. It would’ve been too easy for him to simply repeat himself considering he and the band have been on quite a hot streak since their 2006 self-titled became the fastest-selling rock debut in Soundscan history. 2009’s Leave This Town gave them their second consecutive No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200, while Break The Spell reached gold status in merely four weeks of release in 2011. Throughout, they achieved four No. 1 smashes at radio as well as four Grammy Award nominations and four American Music Awards wins. Meanwhile, sales exceeded 7.5 million albums and 17 million singles. Nevertheless, as an artist/band, they chose to evolve for both themselves and their fans.

In between a hectic touring schedule, Chris would fly to Los Angeles for in-studio sessions with Johnson and Hollander or Kelly.

“As fans of the band, they would do things that I normally wouldn’t do, and that’s why it was so exciting. I was much more open to explore a new style of writing with this album. Whether it was on keyboard, piano, or even banjo in some cases, the soundscape really felt alive. We’d write a song together and cut the vocals right then and there to capture that energy. It happened so quickly. We didn’t need to overthink anything. The magic was there.”

It’s easy to hear, feel, and even see that magic on the first single “Waiting for Superman.” Electronics glimmer along with a soft acoustic guitar strum and resounding piano as a cinematic tale unfolds in orchestral pop fashion. It instantly takes flight with one of the vocalist’s most powerful hooks yet and an inspiring story.

“It was never about a superhero per se,” he reveals. “It’s about waiting for that someone in your life to step up and be what you need in that moment as a ‘rock’ or ‘strength.’ I’ve heard it so many times. I chose one of the biggest pop culture archetypes out there because it can mean many different things. I love the image of a girl waiting for someone to save her. Personally, it stems from my own experiences with my teenage daughter and wife. They were my muses.”

The track “Battleships,” sails into new territory. An immersive beat bounces along with the warm production as he delivers an irresistible anthem meant for arenas. In order to test this fresh flavor, he ran it by his toughest critics.

He smiles, “My parents love our music, but they’re mainly into country. After I played them ‘Battleships,’ I expected my dad to say, ‘Well, that’s different!’ Instead, he looked at me and said, ‘Man, that’s a hit!’

The lyrics find him veering down an uncharted lane as well. “It’s not a breakup song—which we’ve been the ambassadors for over the past six years,” Daughtry chuckles. “It’s about butting heads with the one you love. You don’t want to fight, but it happens. You’re both going to stand your ground, but you’re really fighting for each other.”

Perhaps the most shining example of Chris’ evolution is the rollicking and raucous “Long Live Rock & Roll”. Acoustic guitar and banjo charge forward at full steam as he name checks everyone from Elton John and Billy Joel to Mötley Crüe and Guns ‘N Roses, even lamenting “Van Hagar” in the process.

“It was so far out of my normal comfort zone,” he says. “Everything has always been so serious in the past, but rock ‘n’ roll is meant to be fun. I wanted to cut loose and have a good time. We went places I’d never been musically.”

At the same time, the kinetic “I’ll Fight” brandishes a youthful vibrancy, while the title track, “Baptized,” builds from a Western-style dobro hum into a bombastic refrain. In many ways, the title encapsulates Chris’ ethos completely.

“I always wanted to call the album Baptized, because it felt like a new chapter,” he declares. “It’s a bold statement.”

He’s ready to proclaim that statement in front of packed venues around the world alongside longtime bandmates Josh Paul [bass], Brian Craddock [guitar], Josh Steely [guitar], Robin Diaz [drums] and new addition Elvio Fernandes [keyboards]. Outside of music, he continues to give back to various charities. He even holds an ambassadorship with DC Comics’ We Can Be Heroes campaign, fighting hunger in underdeveloped countries.

At the end of the day, Baptized certainly signals a rebirth for Chris and the band. “I want fans to keep an open mind about it,” he concludes. “The songs are very much what I do lyrically and melodically. I’ve always been a sucker for a great melody. That’s what songwriting is all about. Can people relate to this? Is it real? Is it honest? That’s what everyone should take away. It’s real and authentic. This is where I am right now.”

Bio Coming Soon…

Cut from the baseball team in high school, Brian Craddock begrudgingly accepted that his dream of major league glory was a long shot. Despite the setback, guitar practice soon replaced batting practice and he set his sights on a much more sensible vocation: musician. “If I’d known how much work goes into being a professional musician, I might have looked into med school; the hours would be better,” he says laughing.

Born in Charlottesville, Virginia the guitarist grew up amid the college town’s thriving music scene, best known for producing Dave Matthews. “People identify this town with roots rock because of his success, but there is an eclectic community of musicians living here who introduced me to every style of music.”

Craddock met many of those characters while selling guitars at one of the local music shops. Working there, he picked up licks from guitarists who stopped in to talk gear and jam with whoever was around. “That was my real education; jazzers showing me chromatic runs, country guys showing me chicken picking; something different every day,” he says. “For me, learning a new riff was like discovering another word in a musical language that has allowed me relate to people.”

Eager to learn more, Craddock spent two years studying flamenco guitar, fascinated by the music’s demanding precision and emotional intensity. “There’s a lot going on and you have to pay close attention because it get very tricky,” he says. “As much fun as that was, I had to give it up, because – believe it not – classical guitar recitals are not exactly a great place to meet girls.”

Switching to rock, Craddock found his musical niche but quickly discovered the difficulty in making it a living. “You hustle or fail. I was a graphic designer by day, gave guitar lessons in the afternoon, and then played or produced all night; it’s not glamorous. I missed the first years of my daughter’s life working round the clock, but I kept doing it because it’s what I love.”

In a fateful twist, the music store where Craddock worked growing up is also where he first met Chris Daughtry. “His band used to open up for mine,” Craddock says. “When I heard he was looking for a guitarist, I left him a message. He called me back that night – while I was making a chocolate cake – with a plane ticket to an audition the next day. I learned the entire album on the flight to L.A.”

After a disastrous first audition, Craddock came back the following day and nailed the performance. “People couldn’t believe it was the same guy. It was obviously meant to be,” Daughtry says.

Josh Steely was 10 when punk rock shook his world.

“A lot of people say the Beatles got them into music, but for me it was bands like the Circle Jerks, Black Flag and Suicidal Tendencies,” he says. “It was incredibly empowering to suddenly realize that I could play those same three or four chords and make up songs about what happened at school that day. In that instant, music was my obsession.”

It was also in his blood. Steely’s mother sang and his father played guitar and toured with superstars like Bob Seger and Jimmy Buffet. His parents also performed together as a successful nightclub duo. “I grew up on the road until we settled in San Diego when it was time for me to go to school,” he says. “They were both music lovers who listened to everything from Ravi Shankar and Alice Coltrane to yacht rock like Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald. There was always something different on the turntable at my house.”

Determined to carry on his family’s musical tradition, Steely spent most of high school holed up in the garage, practicing guitar. After graduation, he joined a band and toured for several years. “It made me realize that I really needed to start my own band,” he says with a laugh. “So I quit and spent the next 15 years fronting my own three piece, touring, writing songs and making records.”

When his second son was born in 2002, Steely says his fatherly responsibilities took precedence over his musical ambitions. “I never gave up on making it on my own terms, but I had a family to think about,” he says. “You do whatever it takes to make it work. For me, that meant splitting time between a straight job and music.”

After several years walking the straight and narrow, Steely received a call from a friend who was organizing auditions for Chris Daughtry’s band. He invited Steely to L.A. to audition for the lead guitar spot. “I’m one of the only guys in the band who watched Chris on American Idol; I was blown away,” he says. “My boss and I would watch on our lunch hour. It’s funny, because I remember telling him that I wished I could find a singer like Chris for my band.”

In L.A., Steely’s friend recruited him to stand in for Daughtry during the auditions, playing rhythm and singing. “I had a leg up on everyone when it came time for me to audition, because I’d seen what everyone else was doing,” he says.

“He looked like a surf bum who’d wandered in off the street until he picked up a guitar and blew me away,” Daughtry recalls. “So many of the guitarists who auditioned came in, put their boot up on the monitor and started shredding from the first note to the last. Josh was different. He respected the song. He only played what he needed to. He was the perfect fit.”

Elvio Fernandes is a Rochester, NY-based musician, songwriter and producer, best known for his work as a keyboardist, rhythm guitarist and vocalist for multi-platinum-selling artist Daughtry. Elvio’s writing credits include multiple Daughtry songs including the single “Witness” and “Crazy” from the band’s “Break The Spell” record.

Elvio has been performing live music for 20 years and has been fortunate enough to play for tens of thousands of people around the world. He has also composed and produced music for national and local television and radio advertising, working with companies such as Chevy and McDonald’s. In addition to his work with Daughtry, Elvio has worked with national recording artists such as Richard Marx, Brad Arnold of 3 Doors Down, Brian McKnight, Claude Kelly, Greg Howe, and American Idol finalist Ace Young whose Top 50-debut single “Scattered” was produced and co-written by Elvio.

Elvio is proud to be the founder of Camp ROC Star, located in Rochester, NY, which is about to launch their 7th year inspiring kids aged 10-17 to learn more about playing rock n roll. Camp ROC Star is a week-long day-camp that provides aspiring rock musicians with an unforgettable learning and performance experience that will improve their playing skills, increase their confidence, foster collaboration with others and inspire them to find the artist within themselves.

Leave This Town Cover Art Unveiled

Here it is guys, point your peepers right HERE for the first glimpse of Daughtry’s Leave This Town album cover.